Posts Tagged ‘Repairs’

Paper folders play an important role in many aspects of a business’ daily operations. They are used to fold mailers, bills, invoices and much more. Although many of these paper folders are beasts, able to withstand a lot of use, all paper shredders require some type of maintenance.

Here is a list of some of the most common maintenance steps you should be taking and a list of the most common problems associated with paper folders.

Clean the rollers – The rubber rollers found in a paper folder get very dirty after a while. Why is this? It is because paper dust and ink from the folded paper start to stick to the rubber rollers. This causes paper to slip on the rollers, causing paper jams.

Use rubber cleaner rejuvenator to clean the rollers. Not only does this clean, but it also re-hydrates the rollers. Many people have asked me if they can use rubbing alcohol to achieve the same results. The answer is a huge no. Rubbing alcohol will dry out the rollers and cause them to crack.

Turn off the motor – If your paper folder doesn’t have an “auto off” function, be sure to turn off the motor after the job is done. This will help prevent unnecessary motor wear.

Surge protector – After having suffered some electronics losses myself as a result of power surges, it isn’t a bad idea to put your mid to high-end paper folder on a surge protector.

Folding plates – Make sure the folding plates are securely in place. A lot of paper jams result from incorrectly seated folding plates.

Static electricity – Static electricity can cause sheets of paper to stick together, resulting in paper jams. Some paper folders have built in components to channel away the static electricity. If static electricity continues to be a problem for you, we do sell static eliminator spray that will eliminate this problem.

Paper Jams – What should you do if you get a paper jam? If the paper is easily accessible, try pulling out the paper. NEVER use scissors or sharp objects to “fish” out the paper. This could very likely cause damage to the rubber rollers. Replacing the rubber rollers is no easy task.

If you cannot access the paper, you can try to open the case of the machine (at your own risk) to access the jammed paper. Very rarely does a paper folder have to be opened. If you aren’t mechanically inclined, or are nervous about operating on a paper folder, you can always call our service technicians at 1-800-658-8788 and ask them for tips and advice. You can also send in your machines to us for repair, should the need arise.